Charlotte Hornets Free Agency: Graham, Zeller Depart

When it comes to NBA Free Agency, things move quickly. For the Charlotte Hornets, there were some very fast-moving parts, and swift changes already. And it resulted in a restricted free-agent target and their longest-tenured player moving on to different places.

One day after the Hornets made Devonte’ Graham a restricted free agent, the New Orleans Pelicans signed Graham to a four-year, $47M offer sheet, which was graciously accepted by Graham’s camp, and the Hornets were not willing to match the offer sheet. The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. As a result of the transaction by the Pelicans, New Orleans will execute a sign-and-trade with the Hornets, sending their 2022 first-round pick (lottery protected) to Charlotte in exchange for Graham. Graham spent three seasons with the Hornets, emerging over the last two seasons due to his playmaking and outside shooting. Graham’s numbers were at 14.8 points, 5.4 assists, and 37.5 percent from three-point range in 55 games. In 164 games with the Hornets, his numbers averaged out to 13.3 PPG, 5.4 APG, and 36.4 3FG%.

Cody Zeller, who was the fourth overall pick in 2013 by the Hornets, signed a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday as well. The move to sign him gives Portland an extra big after they declined the qualifying offer on Zach Collins, who went to sign his own deal with the San Antonio Spurs at three years, $22M. This past season, Zeller averaged 9.4 PPG, 6.8 rebounds per game in 48 games (21 starts). In eight seasons, he played 467 games and had career averages of 8.7 PPG and 6.0 RPG.

Graham’s departure saves the Hornets about $5M in salary, and the team came into the free agency period with $8.8M in cap space, and that figure ends up going to around $13.8M. Although Charlotte loses a guy they wanted to keep, the Hornets get that additional space, along with a future pick, so the return on a former second-rounder is a win. This does make a curious case now for Charlotte with Terry Rozier, who has been the subject of many trade rumors, or do you bring in someone from the outside in free agency or even a summer league signing. Whatever moves that will be made at this point, remains to be seen, but will be a fast-moving and interesting period.

For Zeller, he was the longest-tenured Hornet, and it was probably beyond time for his departure; his fate was sealed when the Pistons traded Mason Plumlee to Charlotte. Plumlee is a better rebounder and will give the team more toughness inside than Zeller will. Between Plumlee arriving by trade, and the drafting of Kai Jones with the 19th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the center position got a significant upgrade. Also, Zeller may benefit from the toughness of Jusuf Nurkic, and should still see some minutes in Portland.